Carl Becker and Son

The Instruments and the Family

For many professional musicians and
serious students, the search for a great instrument may be a long one. The goal is to find
an instrument that will best display one's talents. The greatest musicians most often
perform on old instruments, so it is understandable that the advancing musician is drawn
towards the dream of owning an old instrument. Certainly, the great Italian makers of the
17th and 18th centuries largely set the standards for excellence. The idea that old is
better has been accepted for many years, but in accepting this idea, the musician may miss
an opportunity to discover the fine qualities of modern instruments.

Modern instruments are a desirable alternative for the musician. The present day makers
are in a better position than any in the past to produce quality instruments. Examples of
fine old instruments are more accessible for study and reference. There is also a greater
knowledge of techniques employed by the old masters that can be applied to new
construction.

At Carl Becker and Son, there exists great respect for the fine old instruments and the
methods employed by the masters who created them. These instruments have endured and
continue to produce exceptional tone.

The objective at Carl Becker and Son is to provide the musician with as fine an
instrument today as was made 300 years ago. The Becker instrument is created with an
emphasis on beauty and stability both in sound and appearance. As Jennifer Becker Jurewicz
notes, "What's two years in the making when you're making it to last for
centuries?"

An immense amount of deliberation has gone into designing the Becker instrument to
achieve the best tone. Through observation and analysis, the Beckers believe the reason
behind a great sound is physics, not guesswork. As Carl F. Becker notes, "I am
fascinated by the violin from an engineering point of view-the effect of the arching and
shaping on the tone." Becker also regards the graduating of an instrument as
critical.

"We carefully graduate the top and back to a predetermined design, regulating the
thicknesses precisely, in such a way that the instrument has the tone quality we
want."

The Beckers attribute a great deal of the success of their instruments to the quality
of the varnish. Carl G. Becker was fascinated with this subject at an early age. After
several years, he developed a varnish that is basically the same in use today. The varnish
remains tender, yet chippy in nature, similar to the character of the softer old Italian
varnishes. This character allows the instrument to vibrate freely, not only when it is
new, but also as it ages.

The proof of this lies in instruments dating back to the early 1900's. In the finish of
the instruments, Carl Becker and Son makes no attempt to create an "antique"
appearance. The mellow look of great age is allowed to develop with time and use.

By examining relatively unworn areas of Stradivarius instruments of the golden period,
the Beckers concluded that the color was quite vivid when new. The vibrant quality of the
Becker varnish lends rich, warm undertones to the instrument's color as it ages.

Virtually everything done at Carl Becker and Son is done intentionally - nothing is
left to chance. Some makers follow the approach of using a freedom of style that results
in a greater variation from one instrument to another. Carl Becker and Son respects that
approach, but prefers to have definite ways of repeating a design that is meticulously
planned. Consequently, instruments from Carl Becker and Son are unique within a small
range of variation, ensuring a fine result.

As noted by violin dealer Charles Beare, director of J. and A. Beare Limited in London,
"[The] Beckers have made an immeasurable contribution to our craft during the past 90
years, as makers of violins, violas, and cellos, and as innovative restorers, and with
Jenny and Paul at the workbench, and Carl Junior still in his prime at age 72, the future
is looking good.

The future is certainly what Becker instruments were always made for. Like great wines,
they are good early on, but made to improve. In centuries to come, I am sure musicians
will look upon Becker instruments as one of the very few outstanding makes of our
era."

"When I was younger, l always said 'I want a great cello,' but I didn't have the
money. A great cello came along anyway. I have owned several Beckers and they were all
instruments of high quality. With the cost of the Strads at three million now, the day of
the new instrument is here."Harry Sturm, former assistant principal of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The Family

The Becker family
tradition making fine-quality violins, violas, and cellos began in 1901, when the late
Carl G. Becker made his first violin at age 14. The grandson of pioneer American luthier
Herman Macklett, Carl captured the passion for violin making at an early age.

In 1902, Carl began a working relationship with John Hornsteiner. At age 18, he was
entrusted with the repair of a superb Amati cello, smashed in a streetcar accident. Once
restored, he crafted a replica so like the original in appearance and sound, musicians had
difficulty deciding which was the copy.

This and other achievements during his 22 years with Hornsteiner earned Carl the
nickname "Dr. Violin."

Carl's reputation grew steadily and in 1924, William Lewis and Son, Chicago's largest
violin company, invited him to join their organization. Here, Carl became a master luthier
and instrument appraiser, and started the Becker tradition of spending summers in the
solitude of Wisconsin's North Woods crafting new instruments.

The Becker heritage continued in 1936 when Carl F. Becker began at age 16 to assist his
father in the making of new instruments. In 1937, he joined his father at William Lewis
and Son. Together, father and son began a partnership, with the son first contributing
only the ribs and the rough work to his father's cellos.

After several years, a balanced division was established which resulted in a truly
equal effort in their "partnership instruments." These instruments incorporated
patterns and moulds of their own design, based on the concepts they observed in the
instruments made by Stradivarius, Guarnerius and other fine makers. Their years at William
Lewis and Son gave the Beckers the chance to study, repair and restore the great
instruments of the 16th through 20th centuries. This hands-on experience taught them the
secrets of fine craftsmanship, including both the aesthetics of a beautiful instrument and
the physics behind superior tone quality.

The two Beckers left William Lewis and Son to form their own company, Carl Becker and
Son, in 1968.

Winters were devoted to selling, restoring, repairing and appraising instruments;
summers were still reserved for making new instruments.

Carl G. Becker had come to be regarded as the great American master, but he felt his
son deserved this honor. Late in his life, the senior Becker said of his son, "I may
have been all right in my day, but I never had the patience to spend the time that he
does."

The younger Becker has indeed earned his reputation for care and craftsmanship. During
1970 and 1971, he restored the famous "Lady Blunt" violin, a Stradivarius made
in 1721 that is one of the best preserved examples of Stradivarius' work. Shortly after
the restoration was completed, the violin sold at auction for the record amount of
$201,000.

Carl F. Becker's daughter and son, Jennifer and Paul, continued the family tradition of
violin making. At an early age, Jennifer showed great interest in violin making and
displayed the patience and discipline necessary for the craft. She started her first
violin in 1966, at age 11 and, working part time in the summer months, completed it at age
15. At 16, she joined Carl Becker and Son full time. Benefiting from the expert tutelage
of the father and grandfather and from working on the fine instruments that came in the
shop, Jennifer Becker Jurewicz opened her own shop in Minneapolis in 1986 under the name
of Carl Becker and Son.

Paul also inherited his father's talent as a woodworking artisan. He has made one
violin of his own, which he began in 1974, at age 15, and has assisted making Carl Becker
and Son instruments. He has learned many facets of violin repair and restoration and is
now working full time alongside his father, managing the daily operations of the Chicago
shop.

Although Carl G. Becker died in 1975, the Becker tradition continues today. Now in
their tenth decade, the Beckers have made nearly 800 violins, violas, and cellos. They
give special attention to each instrument they see, but they always enjoy getting a Becker
original back in their shops, for each is considered an old friend of the family.